


Fearless

by KeiChanz



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Idk waff i guess?, Kagome thinks its cute, a little romance, i guess, idk wtf to tag this as, inuyasha is a closet softie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27395500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeiChanz/pseuds/KeiChanz
Summary: The baby stuck her tiny fist in her mouth and waved her other at him before reaching forward and pawing at his own hand. With raised eyebrows and a small quirk to his lips, Inuyasha nudged his hand forward. He watched as pudgy little fingers grasped his thumb and held on with a surprisingly strong grip.“Heh. Fearless little thing, ain’t ya.”
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 24
Kudos: 178





	Fearless

He didn’t know why he expected it to be different from any other village. Maybe it was because the attention hadn’t been immediately drawn to him this time, but a large two-tailed cat bearing an injured woman and a man of the cloth. Perhaps it was the way Kagome’s unconventional clothing as she’d explained their situation hadn’t even warranted a second glance from the headman when he came rushing out of his home to investigate the sudden ruckus. Or, hell, maybe it had to do with how the runt hadn’t even seemed to be cause for concern despite his tail and feet being clear markers as to what he was.

Whatever the reason was, however, in the end it didn’t even matter. At the first fearful whisper, the second baleful glance, and the sneers of disgust when realization dawned, the hope that perhaps this time would be different abruptly died and Inuyasha carefully blanked his features into a mask of cool indifference. The familiar anger surfaced, roiling in his gut, tensing his muscles and making his jaw clench tightly while his hands balled into fists, but he didn’t allow himself to react otherwise.

He really should be used to this by now. The suspicious glares, the frightened gasps, the scoffs of contempt and derision. God knew he’d dealt with it for most of his life, if not all of it, so ignoring the less than receptive welcome should have been a breeze. He _should_ have been able to brush it off, roll his eyes at their ignorance and distrustful behavior, simply shrug his unconcern and call it a day.

The thing of it was, though, the real kick in the fucking ass, was that no matter how many times he told himself he didn’t care, no matter how hardened against the cruel realties of the world he thought himself to be, it never got any easier. There was always the flare of indignant anger, the hollow pain from yet again being rejected, and then riding the coattails of that pain always came the curious emptiness, the cold numbness settling into the very core of his being from the realization that it was never going to change. No amount of wishing, hoping, and longing was never going to make a damn bit of difference. Not when you were hated on sight, when you were ruthlessly and unfairly judged before even drawing a single breath to plead your case.

Not when you were a half-breed.

Gentle warmth landed on his arm as the pleasant scent of rainwater and flowers teased his nose. Inuyasha glanced down into large brown eyes, the concern in them unmistakable and he had no problem reading the silent question in them. Almost instinctively his body relaxed and it became a little easier to breathe, as what always happened at her touch. He should have known she’d catch on; damn girl had always been too perceptive for her own good.

“Keh,” he muttered, though his face softened somewhat as he sighed. “I’m fine, wench. Go with the others. Sango needs you, and I’m sure the monk is useless right now with how worried he is.”

Kagome looked like she didn’t believe him, her brow knitted as she studied him quietly. Inuyasha fought back a grimace and looked away, clenching his jaw as his ear flicked. Another few seconds passed in which he refused to meet her gaze, and then with a quiet sigh Kagome squeezed his arm before turning and heading toward the hut where the injured taijiya was taken.

His ears flattened and he stared after her, shoulders slumped and a frown marring his features. He appreciated her concern, he really did, but he’d get over it. Sango was their main concern right now. After tracking down a buck with a jewel shard in its neck that had the temperament of an angry bear, they had spent the better part of the morning trying to trap the thing in order for Kagome to safely retrieve the jewel, per her request. Inuyasha had just wanted to kill it, but after Kagome had pleaded with him to at least try and spare its life – it was only a regular woodland creature after all that had the bad luck of getting a shard embedded in its neck – he of course couldn’t say no. And well, suffice to say, Inuyasha was sporting quite a few fading bruises courtesy of a pair of gigantic antlers.

Sango had been the one to finally pin it down, hurling Hiraikotsu with just the right twist so that the buck’s neck had been trapped beneath the crooked weapon as it had embedded into the ground. The price had been a harsh blow to the head from a flailing back leg when the slayer had gotten too close and she’d been out for the count ever since. Miroku was sick with worry and he’d all but demanded they find the nearest village so she could get the proper care, hardly even waiting for Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippou before loading Sango onto Kirara, hopping behind her, and taking off.

And so with little choice in the matter, Kagome had retrieved the shard, Inuyasha collected the bone boomerang and with his wench and the fox on his back, he took off after them.

Now here they were, dusk still hours away, in a random village in which thankfully had taken Sango in without question, however his presence did not receive the same welcome. Despite the stares and whispers, however, Inuyasha refused to leave, refused to abandon his friends just because of his own discomfort. Kagome had asked on the way over if he was alright with going to a village they’d never been to before, knowing his thoughts on the matter. Although he’d been touched by her concern, he could only give one answer, couldn’t he. Sango was his friend, his comrade; despite his own misgivings and experiences, he would just have to ignore them in favor of getting Sango the proper care she needed.

He’d told Kagome as much, not in so many words, but enough to get his point across. Though he knew she was still worried, thankfully she hadn’t pressed and she’d fallen quiet for the duration of their travel.

“Bah.”

Inuyasha frowned as his ear flicked and he stared pensively at the hut his friends resided in, located on top of a little knoll not far from where he stood. He’d gotten a glimpse of a rather nasty cut on Sango’s temple with a dark bruise blooming down across her cheek and he severely hoped it hadn’t caused any lasting damage. He knew head wounds were among the worst to receive and he recalled Kagome mentioning something about “concussions.”

“Aah?”

While the word meant nothing to him, he trusted Kagome, knew that she had knowledge that he was not privy to, and so didn’t question it. From his understanding though, he figured concussions were bad and the concussed individual had to be monitored very closely so their health did not decline. Being days away from Kaede’s village was not optimal conditions to monitor Sango’s health, and so the only thing left to do was find a village. And the rest, as they say, was history.

“Phhhbbbbttt. Bababababa.”

Inuyasha recalled the horrified, stricken look that had been on Miroku’s face when Sango had fallen and he grimaced. He could only imagine what the poor lech was going through right now. Had it been Kagome, _he_ would no doubt be beside himself—

A gentle tug on his hakama promptly distracted Inuyasha from his thoughts and he looked down at his feet. Big brown eyes blinked back up at him. As Inuyasha gaped down in shock, he was rewarded with a wide gummy grin and a squeal of delight.

His ear flicked at the sound and a puzzled frown drew his brows down low over his eyes. What the hell? Tearing his gaze away from the pup that was pulling herself up by way of his pants, Inuyasha looked around, cocking his ears for the frantic calls of the parents looking for their lost child, but he saw no one, heard nothing but the regular sounds of a village. The street was deserted, nobody wanting to be around the dirty hanyou that was tainting their home.

He looked down at the pup that couldn’t be more than a summer old again as she blew raspberries and seemed content to cling to his hakama. Then she abruptly fell back onto her bottom with a tiny grunt and perplexed, but amused, Inuyasha knelt down and propped his elbows on his knees.

“Oi, squirt,” he rumbled, drawing those brown eyes his way again. She smiled and his face softened. “What’re you doing out here alone? Where’re your parents?”

The baby stuck her tiny fist in her mouth and waved her other at him before reaching forward and pawing at his own hand. With raised eyebrows and a small quirk to his lips, Inuyasha nudged his hand forward. He watched as pudgy little fingers grasped his thumb and held on with a surprisingly strong grip.

“Heh. Fearless little thing, ain’t ya.”

Something warm bloomed in his chest as her slobber covered hand joined her other in examining his much larger hand, burbling softly to herself. He made sure to keep his claws away from her soft skin, adjusting his hand as needed and curling his fingers away. Though only dangerous from the amount of force he exerted when eliminating an enemy, he knew how fragile pups were and figured it was better to err on the side of caution.

Inuyasha tugged and brought the pup to her feet. She giggled and clutched at his hand. Though she remained standing, she did not release him, so he figured she wasn’t quite old enough to walk yet. He reached out with his other hand and she caught that one too, using the grips she had on his fingers to keep her balance. God, she was so small, her weight barely registering as he helped her take a few steps around, her giggles a peasant sound in his ears.

“Too bad Kagome ain’t here,” he rumbled and had to chuckle when she bounced a few times as more babble reached his ears. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind trying to find your—”

The horrified, frightened gasp that drifted over to him had his back stiffening and his muscles tensing. His ears flattened, his jaw clenched and he whipped his head around to find what was no doubt the pup’s mother staring at him in abject horror, her face pale, a hand fluttering at her mouth. Her fear was radiating off of her in waves and though Inuyasha knew the fear was for her daughter it still stung.

“Don’t hurt her!” she begged him, taking a step forward and reaching a trembling hand out. Inuyasha visibly flinched.

Expression going blank, Inuyasha carefully extracted his hands from the pup’s grip and slowly lowered her to sit on the ground before pushing to his feet and taking a step back, crossing his arms. Immediately and with a choked gasp the woman darted forward, snatching her child up in her arms and clutching her desperately to her chest. The babe whimpered in her arms, squirming around as she pushed and tried to turn her head despite the hand on the back of her head. The woman gazed at him in wide-eyed terror, stepping backward as if afraid to take her eyes off of him even for an instant.

Distrustful. Fearful.

Painful.

With eyes giving nothing away Inuyasha watched as she abruptly turned and took off, ears low on his head, listening as the pup’s wails of distress grew fainter with each passing second until there was silence. He stood there for a minute more before wordlessly reaching down to heft Hiraikotsu over his shoulder and headed towards the hut his friends were located, that familiar numbness creeping in and swiftly replacing any warmth he might have felt.

When he stepped inside, thankfully – mercifully – the only occupants were his friends, sans a certain dark-haired wench, but her scent was fresh so he wasn’t too worried. He leaned Sango’s weapon against the wall and knelt down next to the resting woman. Miroku was sitting next to Sango, eyes riveted on her face, and his hand clutched her own while she slept, oblivious. Her head was wrapped in a bandage and her heartbeat was slow, steady. She’d be fine, Inuyasha was positive, and he felt the part of him worried over her health finally relax.

“She hasn’t gained consciousness yet,” Miroku supplied without prompting. “However, the village physician assured that she will be fine after some rest. Says her wound looks worse than it actually is.”

He sighed and thrust his free hand through his hair before giving a tiny, relieved smile as he glanced at the half-demon.

“Still,” he murmured. “I don’t believe I’ll be getting any sleep tonight.”

Inuyasha understood. Had it been Kagome on that bedroll, head bandaged and dead to the world, he wouldn’t be able to relax until she was up and about either.

“Keh,” he muttered, eyes lingering on his friend’s face before he got to his feet. “Sango’s tough. She’ll be fine.” He paused. “Where’s Kagome?”

“Talking with the headman, I believe,” Miroku answered, gaze already back on the slumbering woman, distracted.

Inuyasha nodded, glanced at the sleeping kitsune snuggled up with Kirara against Sango’s side, and left the hut. Usually the thought of Kagome alone with another man was enough to ignite his temper and he’d go stomping after her, but this time he let it slide. No doubt storming through the village scowling and growling would not be a good idea given the general opinion these villagers had of him.

The woman’s face, twisted in fear, flashed through his mind and he shook his head to dispel the image. No, it would just do more harm than good, so it was stuck waiting with nothing to do until she returned, and god knew how long that would be.

With a resigned, if a little annoyed sigh, Inuyasha strode over to a tree a little ways from the hut, launched himself into it, and settled on a thick branch to wait. Maybe if he stayed hidden his presence would be forgotten, or the villagers would think he left, and his friends would at least get treated fairly. Frankly he was amazed the headman hadn’t kicked his ass out yet, but then again, it was still early.

He snorted, wondering the reason for that was due to a certain wench’s influence. No doubt the unrest and whispers hadn’t escaped the man’s notice, and it was the headman’s job to make sure his village was kept peaceful and safe. Having a half-breed within the perimeter jeopardized that safety – or so they thought, anyway – so it made sense to eliminate the threat. No doubt he had Kagome to thank for that because why else would she be talking to him.

Inuyasha sighed and closed his eyes as he stretched his arms behind his head, but he didn’t doze off. Sleeping was dangerous when the general consensus of the village was not in your favor, and to put down your guard, even for a minute, could be fatal. You couldn’t relax, not when you had more enemies than friends.

Not when you were a half-breed.

**-X-**

Nanami whined and squirmed to be put down, her little face red and screwed up into a pout.

“Hush, my darling. All is well.”

Cradling her little girl in her arms, distractedly murmuring to her in soothing tones, Saeko peered up into the tree in which the demon vanished and bit her lip, frowning in a mixture of apprehension and confusion.

This was…strange. She had fully expected the demon to hunt her down after taking away his meal from him, and yet he’d simply…walked away. What was even more befuddling was that Nanami hadn’t had a single scratch on her. After whisking her away as fast as she could, Saeko had frantically searched her one-year-old’s small body for any abrasions, scratches, or bruises. But after checking three times, curiously she could find nothing. She had thought that when Nanami continued to fuss and wriggle about, clearly distressed, she had to have been injured somewhere. Why else would she be acting like this?

Even now she wanted to be put down, pushing at her arms and emitting little sounds of upset. Still, no matter how many times she stripped her down and looked for anything out of the norm, her daughter’s skin was perfectly unblemished, just as soft and clear as before she’d wandered off by herself.

Which made no sense. Hadn’t the demon wanted to eat her? Why else would he be paying attention to such a weak, small human being?

Worrying her bottom lip, Saeko glanced down at her fussy daughter and thought back to how she had given her a fright earlier. Chatting with her parents while Nanami played on the ground beside her, their conversation had been abruptly put on hold when a large two-tailed cat demon had landed within the village proper. Seconds later a man cloaked in purple robes – a monk? – had started desperately calling for their healer. The woman in his arms was limp, unresponsive, and it hadn’t taken long to figure out she was injured.

Saeko had been utterly distracted when two more people had shown up and a single glance was enough to discern that one of them was not human. Stricken and immediately worried for her little girl’s safety, she had gone to pick Nanami up and flee the area, but upon looking down, her daughter was nowhere to be seen.

It amazed Saeko, how a child that wasn’t even able to walk yet could be so darned _fast_. It had felt like a small lifetime as she and her parents searched for her baby, calling her name, looking under bushes where she liked to hide sometimes, inside crates, and asking anyone if they’d seen her. Just when she had been about to break down sobbing, Saeko had heard a familiar laugh and went running in the direction it came from.

The fear that had seized her upon seeing her baby girl in the hands of the demon had been swift, intense, and so powerful she had nearly collapsed to her knees. The gasp that left her throat had been completely involuntary, and she watched with wide eyes as the demon looked over at her with the most peculiar colored eyes she had ever seen.

Fear for her daughter had kept her rooted to the spot and she’d pleaded him not to harm her, ready to run forward and snatch her away from his grasp if she needed to. So she’d been understandably shocked when the demon had simply released her and stepped back. She hadn’t wasted the time wondering at his odd behavior. Saeko had run forward, grabbed her little girl, and escaped as fast as she was able, fearful he would give chase and make a meal out of her as well.

She’d hidden behind a hut, catching her breath while Nanami cried and wiggled in her arms. Upon peering around the corner, expecting him to be on her tail, instead she saw him calmly walking away, a gigantic boomerang slung over his shoulder.

Saeko hadn’t known if she had been reprieved, or if she should be even more afraid. Was he biding his time? Waiting for the right moment to strike when she was unawares? She had no idea, and so she hadn’t been able to relax.

And just now she had been on her way back to her parents’ house, to both make sure they were safe and for extra protection for Nanami – her father was excellent with an axe – when she spotted him coming out of the hut the injured woman had been taken to. Saeko had been getting ready to bolt, certain that he would see her and finish what he’d been unable to earlier. But then he’d befuddled for the second time by not even sparing her a glance before hopping into a tree and disappearing from sight.

Saeko didn’t understand. All demons were vicious, bloodthirsty creatures, hell-bent on the destruction and suffering of those weaker than them. They ate human flesh, hunted their livestock, preyed upon them during the night, and were menaces to humans. Demons had no regret, had no mercy; you were as good as dead if a terrifying demon had you in its sights. Demons were evil, demons were bad, and that was the short and sweet of it.

…Weren’t they?

She sighed and once more stared up into the tree, again wondering why this demon hadn’t done any of those things. Frowning and deciding that Tsuyo could perhaps provide a little insight – her friend always been more openminded than herself – Saeko moved to continue down the path, but a woman’s voice calling out gave her pause and she turned back around.

She blinked, recognizing the young woman that had accompanied the demon earlier. Saeko frowned; the demon had companions? But—but that was unheard of! Demons did not have friends! But even as she thought this, she watched the silver-haired beast drop from the tree and she saw the girl smile before walking over to him.

Nanami fussed again and Saeko distractedly shushed her, patting her back as she watched, curious despite herself, the demon and young woman chat. She was too far away to hear what was being said, but the longer she watched, the clearer it became that this woman was in no danger of being eaten or harmed in any way.

Nanami whined and stretched out her arms, as if she wanted to go to the demon, but Saeko shushed her gently and kept her eyes on the twosome. With every second that passed she became more bewildered – this demon was disproving everything she knew about them! – but what happened next had Saeko gasping in alarm even as her face turned red from shocked embarrassment.

Discussion apparently concluded, the girl grabbed a strand of his hair and tugged gently. He obliged, bending his head and allowing her to brush a kiss across his cheek. She made to move away with another warm smile, already turning around, but Saeko watched, dumbstruck, as he grabbed her hand, reeled her back in, then caught her chin with his other hand and kissed her straight on the lips.

Saeko fully expected her to pull away. This was outrageous! He was a dangerous demon, incapable of feelings! But then even more shockingly, instead of pulling away she let the demon kiss her and even put her hand on his face, like a lover would, affectionately and reverently.

Face burning, Saeko couldn’t look away as the two parted a few seconds later. With one final smile the girl reached up, affectionately tweaked one of his ears – he had dog ears! – before turning and he released her hand, watching her go. She was not expecting a second later for those amber eyes to suddenly turn and look directly at her. With a gasp that was borne of embarrassed surprise, Saeko ducked behind the nearest hut and fled that penetrating gaze, heart beating a mile a minute.

Oh, goodness…! What had she just witnessed? It defied everything she’d learned, everything she knew about demons. None of it made any sense, and Saeko’s head was whirling, trying to piece together what she had witnessed, attempting to come up with some sort of logical excuse, but her frantic mind refused to provide an answer no matter how desperately she tried.

Nanami made a soft sound of distress and with another gasp Saeko forced herself to slow down and slacken her desperate grip on her baby. Her daughter was once again struggling to escape her arms, whining and whimpering as she pushed against her arms and used her tiny feet to dig into her stomach in an attempt to free herself.

Saeko frowned and came to a stop in the middle of the path. Nanami only acted this way whenever she wanted someone other than her mother to hold her, like her grandfather or Saeko’s best friend Tsuyo. She thought back to how upset her daughter had been after she had taken her away from the demon the first time, fearful she would become his next meal. She had refused to calm down, reaching out her arms as if silently pleading for someone to pluck her from her mother’s arms.

Someone…the demon?

No. No, that was impossible, surely her precious Nanami couldn’t…but…

Saeko’s shoulders slumped and she sighed, gazing down at her daughter who clearly wanted to be put down. Her little face scrunched up and turned pink, which was a clear sign that Nanami was about to have a tantrum, complete with high-pitched shrieks of discontent and endless tears. It was one of the less desirable traits she’d picked up when she didn’t get her way, and there were only two surefire ways that were successful in halting the hysterics, either before they started or during.

One, let her cry it out and exhaust herself into slumber, or two…give her that which she desired. And what Nanami desired came equipped with claws, fangs, and the most befuddling, contradictive behavior she had ever witnessed in a being like him.

Nanami emitted a garbled keening sound, a sound in which Saeko knew heralded the full-blown fit soon to follow. Instead of obliging her, however, the young woman clutched her tighter and continued determinedly down the path to her friend’s home.

She had a lot to think about.

**-X-**

“Inuyasha?”

Said hanyou’s ear flicked as a familiar voice reached him from within the boughs of the tree and wordlessly Inuyasha dropped down. Kagome smiled and ambled over to him as he slipped his hands into his opposite sleeves and made sure to school his features. He heard a soft whimper somewhere to his right but he didn’t turn his head as Kagome stopped in front of him, brown eyes searching his.

“Hey,” she greeted softly, gentle smile still in place. “I just checked in with Miroku. Sango was awake for a while and she managed to drink a bit of tea before going back to sleep. I think she’ll be just fine.”

Inuyasha grunted but otherwise didn’t reply, however she didn’t fail to miss the way his shoulders lost some of their tension.

Kagome’s smile dimmed a little and she sighed. “I talked with the headman,” she revealed but said nothing more, gaze drifting to the side.

He clenched his jaw as his ears flattened into his hair. “Yeah?” he growled, glaring over her head. “What did he have to say?”

“…Nothing…”

Inuyasha sighed, suddenly tired. “Kagome.”

“Don’t make me repeat it, please,” she whispered and just by those words alone Inuyasha had a pretty good idea what she had been forced to agree to in order for him to stay in the village.

He shook his head, grimacing slightly and avoiding her eyes when she looked up at him.

“Sorry,” he murmured, the guilt sitting heavy on his shoulders. “You shouldn’t have to deal with that—”

“Please stop,” Kagome gently beseeched him and he lifted his gaze to find her staring at him with caramel eyes filled not with pity, but warmth and understanding. “It’s not your fault these people are biased, Inuyasha. If it means that you can spend the night in relative peace without threat of harm, then I don’t care what I have to promise to ensure that. I know you would do the same for me.”

Inuyasha made a face, because she was right. He _would_ do the same for her, ten times over if he had to, and endure unimaginable pain if it meant she was unharmed. It never failed to boggle his mind, how stupid and yet so brave, so fierce this slip of a woman was, this beautiful brown-eyed girl that had come to mean so much to him that sometimes it scared him. Her dedication was staggering, her strength at times seeming endless, her stubbornness damn near rivaling his own, and to put it simply, Kagome awed him in more ways than one.

Speechless, Inuyasha could only shake his head and emit a resigned sigh.

“Damn wench takes away my best arguments,” he muttered. He was rewarded by one of Kagome’s genuine smiles, the one that made his gut flip-flip and his heart to race in his chest.

“I do no such thing,” Kagome chirped, her eyes glinting impishly as she reached up and affectionately tugged on a strand of hair that hung over his shoulder. “I’m gonna go take advantage of the nice bathhouse the headman told me about. You should too. You reek.”

Inuyasha snorted loudly. With a laugh, she tugged again. Rolling his eyes, he obliged and bent his head, feeling the warmth of her lips brush against his cheek.

“Later, dogboy,” she said fondly and gave him one last smile before turning to walk away.

He didn’t think. Darting a hand out, Inuyasha caught her wrist, dragged her back. When she turned inquisitive eyes his way, he wordlessly grasped her chin with his free hand, tipped her face up, and covered her mouth with his.

Kagome hummed and returned his kiss, lifting a hand to cup his cheek as he sighed against her lips. He indulged in her taste for a few blissful seconds, and though he wanted to deepen the connection, he kept it chaste and sweet. Kagome, however, had no such qualms. His only warning was a slight curl to her lips before she nipped his lip and slipped inside his mouth for a deeper taste, eliciting a heady growl. He reciprocated, but only briefly; he couldn’t allow them to get carried away, especially out in the open in unfamiliar territory.

With another growl Inuyasha forced himself to pull away and he was gratified to see Kagome’s face was flushed, her lips swollen and red. He was tempted to dive back in but she smiled, tweaked his ear, and sashayed away before he could carry out that temptation.

He sighed and watched her go, the taste of her still on his lips. The same whimper drifted to his ears and when he turned his head, burnished amber collided with startled gray. Inuyasha said nothing as the woman from earlier fled, the child held securely in her arms.

That hollow ache appeared again, right where his heart was. Instead of launching himself back into the tree, Inuyasha strode over to the base and sank down. Maybe it was foolish, or maybe he was just setting himself up for more disappointment, but perhaps if the villagers saw him just minding his own business, trying to look as unthreatening as possible and ignoring everything around him, they wouldn’t think…there was a possibility they might…

Shaking his head, Inuyasha dragged a hand down his face with a weary sigh, grimacing at his own wistful thoughts. Who the hell was he kidding? He would always be looked upon as a monster in their eyes, a bloodthirsty, murdering demon who preyed upon the innocent and slaughtered everything in his path without mercy. It would never change, no matter how badly he wished it would, and not even with how many humans he’d rescued, how many villages he’d saved from utter destruction from other demons plaguing it. His half-breed status was a stigma he’d have to live with for the rest of his life, and no amount of wishing or hoping would change that fact.

 _But does it really_ need _to?_ The niggling little voice in the back of his mind that sounded suspiciously like a certain dark-eyed wench of his suddenly piped up and Inuyasha blinked. _What does it really matter what everybody thinks of you, so long as you have your friends and—_

“Kagome,” he murmured and felt the beginnings of a smile turn the corners of his lips upward.

Lost as he was in pleasant thoughts of warm smiles, laughing eyes, and smiling lips that had the ability to make him forget his own name with kisses so sweet, Inuyasha didn’t detect the familiar scent drifting up from the road below. Didn’t hear the rustling of grass as something pushed itself through it, nor the tinkling giggle of a happy child amidst little grunts of effort. So engrossed in his musings, the half-demon wasn’t aware of anything until something soft, warm, and nice smelling plopped heavily into his lap with a happy squeal and he started so bad he nearly dumped the wriggling mass of curls and giggles onto the ground.

“What the f—what— _seriously_ , kid? You _trying_ to get me in trouble?”

He received a bright grin and wide brown eyes gazing happily up at him as his answer. Inuyasha sighed and muttered a curse under his breath.

A quick scan of the surroundings revealed her mother was yet again nowhere in sight and Inuyasha bit back a groan. Dammit all, the little runt had probably snuck off _again_ from under her mother’s watchful eye and he was reluctant to go and find her himself. No doubt it would not look good if a half-breed was walking around the village with a helpless pup in his arms, even if said pup was giving every sign of being unharmed and more or less content. He knew enough to know that people wouldn’t care; they’d take one look at him and assume the worst.

Like the woman had the first time the child had managed to find her way to him.

“Y’know,” Inuyasha drawled as the kid levered herself up onto her feet using the grip she had on his finger. “You’re not giving me a lot of options here, runt.”

Unthinkingly he adjusted his position, uncrossing his legs and bending them at the knee so she stood between them. Unsurprisingly she reached for his kotodama, tiny fingers wrapping around the beads and lifting them up and down. The resulting clinking noise made her laugh and despite himself the corners of his lips tugged upward.

“You’re gonna give your mother fits if you keep disappearing on her like this,” he told her casually, his smile melting into a thoughtful frown. “Fact, it’s a wonder she even let you outta her sight after—”

A whisper of cloth, the soft crunch of dirt beneath feet, and a familiar scent wafting over to him on the breeze had Inuyasha snapping his head up with a gasp as amber eyes grew wide with a mixture of surprise and soft panic. His body stiffened, his hackles raised, and his ears flattened into his hair as his mouth parted, ready to either one, flee the accusations that he knew were about to be callously flung his way, or two, negate the claims and—

“It’s alright,” she assured softly and her smile was apologetic. “I know you will not harm her.”

Inuyasha froze and his jaw snapped closed with an audible click. He stared at her, dumbstruck for a few seconds, and then suspicion slowly etched itself onto his features before gradually twisting into a disbelieving scowl. His ears lifted slowly from his scalp, as if testing the waters, but then hastily pinned once more, skeptical, wary.

“You didn’t seem to have that mindset before,” he reminded bitterly, unable to right away accept what seemed to be happening. He didn’t understand; what had changed?

Saeko grimaced and looked appropriately contrite, flushing as she jerked her head in a nod and turned her gaze toward the reason for this confrontation. With her tiny hand wrapped around a single clawed finger, the child was content to stand there between his knees and play with the beads around his neck with her free hand. Despite herself she had to smile; utterly fearless, her precious daughter seemed to have instinctively known somehow the hanyou was completely harmless, and the young mother realized now she should have trusted the toddler.

As it turned out, she hadn’t even made it to Tsuyo’s house before she’d turned back around to head back from whence she came. While her best friend could indeed shed a little light on the situation, Saeko had belatedly realized that the only insight she truly needed was already with her, with a pouting face, raven curls, and big brown eyes – her father’s eyes – that pleaded with her every step of the way. And suddenly it had been so easy, to forget her inhibitions and trust her daughter. After all, weren’t animals and babies the most honest beings on this earth?

“Yes,” she finally answered him and lifted her gaze to find him already staring at her with those unusual yet stunning golden eyes of his. She blinked in surprise as her cheeks pinked for a completely different reason. My, but he really was quite handsome, wasn’t he?

“I realize now that I was too hasty in my judgement earlier,” she continued, smiling once again, “and I have come to express my regret for my unfair assumption.”

Then she surprised him by bowing at the waist and Inuyasha gaped at her while the child, oblivious to her mother’s actions, cooed softly as she used the grip on hanyou’s finger to wave his hand back and forth. She giggled and his ears swiveled toward the pleasant sound.

The surprise faded quickly and he ducked his head to hide his red face, scowling lightly though it held no heat as he stared at the tiny human clinging to his finger. She gave him a big gummy grin and his face softened. He looked at the tot’s mother again and sighed at her bowed figure. Slowly be began to relax, his fight or flight instinct dwindling down once the realization that she spoke the truth started to sink in. It was strange, how she seemed to have a change of heart within such a short amount of time, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Keh,” he muttered, brows dipping into a slight frown as he watched the baby between his knees stare at his ears in wide-eyed interest. “Knock that off. You ain’t the first to assume it, and I doubt you’ll be the last. Forget about it.”

The young mother straightened from her bow and frowned at his words, her confusion evident as she said, “But…that hardly seems fair.”

Inuyasha shrugged. “Fair ain’t got a damn thing to do with it,” he replied, keeping his eyes on the child before him. “Not when you’re a half-breed.”

The human woman looked truly appalled, lifting a hand to press against her chest. “But that’s horrible!”

The hanyou paused and flicked a glance at her, his frown a little more pronounced. He studied her quietly for a moment and then shook his head, wondering if this was all an act, or if she truly was ignorant to the harsh realities of the world.

“That’s just the way it is, lady,” Inuyasha murmured. “Someone once told me a long time ago that people fear what they don’t understand and I’ve come to expect that now. Hell, if your initial reaction _hadn’t_ been to snatch your kid and run away, then I’d start questioning your sanity. It’s complete bullshit, yeah, but there ain’t nothin’ you or I can do about it, so there ain’t no use worrying about it. And anyway, what do I care what people think of me? I don’t know ‘em so they don’t matter. Simple as that.”

He shrugged and turned his attention to the toddler between his knees that was trying to regain his attention by pulling on the beads around his neck and babbling nonsense at him.

“Bah,” she said and blinked great brown eyes at him.

Inuyasha cocked a brow. “Really,” he drawled, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “You don’t say.”

“ _Aah!_ ” She giggled and bounced up and down a few times, her excitement palpable.

Inuyasha chuckled and a little ways away, Saeko smiled knowingly. He may claim that he didn’t care, that it didn’t matter what people thought of him, but she knew better. There had been something in his voice, in the way he avoided her eyes as he’d said it; he did care, more than he was obviously willing to admit, and she had the insane urge to go over to him and hug him tightly. Perhaps it was her newly acquired motherly instincts, but she wanted to comfort this man. She highly doubted he would let her, however, so she refrained and silently watched as he played with her daughter.

She was a fool to think this hanyou would be a danger to her precious one-year-old girl. Heavens, but he was gentler than some of the men in the village! She realized he must be purposely trying to be as gentle as possible so as to not accidentally hurt her – no doubt he was considerably stronger than the average man – and that only confirmed even more what she had already come to understand. Still, she appreciated his effort even as her heart went out to him at the knowledge that he’d had to face such cruelty.

Her smile dimmed. It really _was_ unfair, but unfortunately he was right; there truly wasn’t anything she or him could do to change that fact, so she would just have to accept it, as he had.

There was one thing, however, that she could do. Turning her gaze toward her little girl who now had a strand of his silver hair caught in her tiny fist, the young woman’s smile returned as she made a decision. She would teach her little girl, her precious Nanami, to not repeat her mother’s folly and jump to conclusions. She would grow up knowing the difference between a good demon and a bad one – she refused to think that all demons were bad now after meeting him – she should always consider giving second chances, and she would do her level best to make sure her daughter never judged someone before she knew them.

Perhaps this way, if she raised Nanami right, she would be able to brighten some of the dark truths of the world. Maybe her kindness and understanding would reach somebody else that needed the same lesson, and that person would in turn spread it to others. She liked to think it would be a sort of chain effect until perhaps someday, in the very distant future, beings like him wouldn’t have to live in such a cruel world. By teaching her daughter the error of her mother’s ways, slowly but surely, situations such as what had happened that very morning would cease to exist altogether.

It was a nice thought and a good way to atone for her mistake, though Saeko suspected the guilt might take a little while longer to diminish completely. Still, it was a start, and her heart felt lighter as she gathered up her kimono and climbed up the small knoll to join him beneath the tree.

She didn’t fail to notice the way the hanyou tensed as she settled beside him, but she thought nothing of it. No doubt he was not used to people he did not know being comfortable around him, so she took no offense. She simply smiled and wrapped her arms around her bent knees, completely at ease. Utterly enamored with the silver-haired hanyou, Nanami didn’t even notice the presence of her mother and continued carrying on a one-sided conversation with him. 

Pretending not to notice the way he studied her discreetly out of the corner of his eye, Saeko kept her eyes on Nanami and it wasn’t until he started to relax did she finally steal a glance at him. Though he had one ear cocked toward her – Saeko had to admit that those ears of his were simply adorable! - his attention was mainly focused on the toddler he was keeping upright just by letting her hold his finger and she was amazed at the soft expression on his face.

Saeko wondered how often it was that he had this opportunity, to be this close to a young child without them being fearful of him. She could only imagine what his life had been before he met his friends, and the thought that he had been alone for so long, without the warmth of companionship, was heartbreaking to her. It was no wonder his personality was a little gruff and he was quick to snap; being looked down upon for simply being what he was must have left some pretty deep emotional scars that would take time to heal.

Saeko was suddenly doubly glad she had taken a chance and approached him when she did. If she could offer him at least a little happiness, some peace in his otherwise turbulent life, then she could count that as a success, no matter how small.

“It must have been lonely,” she mused aloud without warning and at the sound of her voice Nanami swung her head around with a big smile. She smiled back, laughing softly when her one-year-old started babbling to her while waving her hand around. Then quite suddenly she fell back onto her bottom with a little grunt and heaved a gusty sigh.

Beside her the hanyou shifted and she glanced at him as he crossed his legs and leaned forward, propping an elbow on his thigh and resting his chin in his palm. His brow was slightly furrowed as he watched the child before him crawl around in the grass, happy as can be.

“Lonely?” he echoed and then shrugged, surprising her since she didn’t think he was going to answer. “Yeah, maybe. To be honest I’ve never really thought about it before. Don’t think I ever had the time to because I was too busy trying to survive.”

Then he blinked and frowned down at her as if he couldn’t believe he’d actually admitted that out loud to a stranger. Saeko watched in amusement as a light pink dusted the bridge of his nose before he looked away with a soft scoff. His gaze landed on Nanami and unsurprisingly the tot propelled herself toward him with a gleeful giggle. She pushed to her feet and before Saeko could even move clawed hands darted out to catch her as she stumbled forward.

Swallowing the gasp before it escaped her lips, Saeko relaxed and shook her head. Truly, she should have known he’d catch her; hadn’t he already proved that he could be trusted?

She heard a soft chuckle beside her and she focused her attention back on the hanyou, her daughter held safely within his hands as he helped her regain her balance. The toddler started climbing up into his lap and he let her, keeping her steady and bearing her slight weight on his thigh. He bounced his leg up and down and Nanami laughed her joy.

“Clumsy,” he said and she admired the small, fond smile on his face. “I know someone just like you. Always tripping over everything and falling down. I’m always tellin’ her to be more careful but she never listens, wench that she is.”

Saeko smiled. “Your friends seem like good people,” she remarked, her gaze drifting over to the dwelling the headman had set them up for the night.

He snorted. “Pain in my ass. All of ‘em.” His expression softened even as he said it, however, and Saeko knew he didn’t truly mean that.

The young woman tilted her head and her smile turned a tad sly. “Perhaps,” she mused, reaching out to take her daughter’s other hand. Tiny fingers wrapped around her thumb and absurdly her throat tightened. She didn’t think she could love her little girl more than she already did, but she was always surprised.

“But they are your friends,” Saeko continued as if that explained everything. “They are there for you, and it means you don’t have to be alone anymore.”

He snorted and they settled into a comfortable silence with the only sounds being Nanami’s happy cooing and the occasional giggle. The hanyou seemed content to allow her the small joy of balancing on his knee and Saeko was content to watch, somehow knowing he would not let her fall.

“What’s, uh…what’s her name?” Inuyasha asked a few minutes later and he sounded cautious but genuinely curious.

Saeko’s smile was fond yet sad as she answered, “Nanami.”

Inuyasha frowned. “Beautiful sea.”

“Yes,” she replied and offered a shrug. “I know it’s a little unconventional, but I never did like that belief that a water-based name was considered fragile. Her father loved the sea and loved to fish.” She paused. “My husband died before she was born doing what he loved most, and I wanted to honor her by blessing her with a name I know he would like.”

Amber eyes studied her silently for a moment, searching for what Saeko didn’t know. But apparently, he found it because he nodded his approval and turned his gaze back to the child in his lap.

“Nanami,” he murmured and the child beamed at him. He grinned back despite himself.

“I’m Saeko, by the way,” she volunteered and smiled at him expectantly.

Inuyasha made a face, clearly reluctant to share his own name, but when a tiny hand reached out and patted his cheek, he sighed and gave in.

“Inuyasha,” he mumbled and snagged her hand, secretly marveling at how small it was in his own.

Everything about the pup was small, except maybe her laugh and bubbly personality. And, well, damn, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that she was like a mini Kagome, right down to the big brown eyes and the jet black hair. Fearless, happy, and…okay _fine_ , she was cute, but cute in a way only a pup could be.

His wench, though…she was more than just cute. Kagome was…hell, he had no idea. Softness and strength, innocence and determination, Kagome had always been a contradiction to him, something that puzzled him with her endless reserves of forgiveness almost as much as her presence beside him made complete sense. Her smile illuminated the darkest corners of his heart, her touch eased the turbulent sorrow of his soul, and his name on her lips had the ability to make him forget every deep seeded ache, every troubled thought, and every doubt he’d ever had.

Kagome was _healing_ , and with a start Inuyasha realized that this little pup, this little girl named Nanami, had the same healing spirit because she effortlessly managed to assuage a fear that he hadn’t even realized he’d had until then, a fear that he’d thought he had long ago suppressed.

Maybe…maybe it was possible, then, to someday enter a village like this one and not have people react so negatively. Maybe someday people wouldn’t automatically fear him and pups wouldn’t run away from him. And with this new realization, Inuyasha finally understood why he was so drawn to children to begin with, why he was never able to deny Kagome whenever she pleaded for them to stay the night in a village.

With just one child’s fearlessness of him, she had given him the belief, the _hope_ that he _wasn’t_ just the vicious monster that people callously made him out to be.

“You’re smiling.”

Inuyasha blinked, flushed, and the smile dropped from his face.

“Keh,” he mumbled and scowled. “I’m not.”

Saeko smiled knowingly but didn’t comment on his denial. She did wonder, however, what he had been thinking about to get him to smile like that. She was beginning to realize that he was rather shy and got pretty defensive if anyone pointed out something that could be considered a vulnerability or weakness. It was endearing, and Saeko’s urge to hug him strengthened.

“Well, Inuyasha,” she said and golden eyes glanced her way. “I hope that after you leave, you’ll come back again sometime and visit us. I’m sure Nanami would like to see you again.”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened and he looked stunned at the request as his blush made a reappearance on his cheeks. He opened his mouth, but Saeko never heard what he was going to say because Nanami chose that moment to emit a loud yawn, recapturing the hanyou’s attention, before heavily plopping down in the cradle of his lap and snuggling against his stomach. They both stared as she clutched a fistful of his suikan in her tiny hand, heaved a gusty sigh, and then promptly dozed off.

Inuyasha’s jaw clicked shut and his throat tightened as emotion, soft and swift, welled up without warning.

Beside him Saeko was feeling a little choked up herself as she reached over and smoothed her daughter’s hair away from her eyes.

“You know,” she whispered, her eyes soft, “not even my mother can get her to fall asleep in her arms like this. You are truly something special, Inuyasha.”

Said hanyou had no idea what to say to that so he remained silent, staring down at the sleeping pup in his arms, the slight weight of her in his lap pleasant and warm. Without thinking he brushed the back of his finger against the downy softness of her cheek, marveling not for the first time at this tiny creature’s unwavering trust in him. Far as he knew the only kid that had ever been comfortable enough to sleep around him, or hell even on him, was Shippou but he didn’t count. For one he was a demon, and two, he was an annoying runt.

Nanami, though…she was none of those things and that, in Inuyasha’s opinion, made a world of difference.

“Inuyasha.”

Ears flicking toward the voice, Inuyasha looked up to find that Saeko was kneeling and facing his way. Once their eyes connected, she reached out and caught one of his hands in both of hers, her expression pleading.

“I know I’ve already said it,” she began and her smile was equal parts hopeful and cautious. “But I do want you to know how sorry I am for the way I acted this afternoon. It was unfair to you, and I will not be able to get any rest until you accept my apology. Will you?”

Inuyasha’s ears flattened into his hair and he grimaced, looking away. Almost of their own accord his eyes landed on the sleeping pup in his lap and he sighed, shaking his head.

“No, really, you don’t need to,” he muttered, clearly uncomfortable. “It’s fine, I understand why—”

“But it’s not fine,” Saeko gently interrupted him with a shake of her head. “And just because you understand does not make it okay. It was wrong of me to judge you so quickly, Inuyasha, especially when you have done nothing to warrant such distrust. I feel horrible, truly, so please will you accept it? Do not make me beg.”

She smiled as she raised her eyebrows and somehow Inuyasha knew she was completely serious. And since he really didn’t want that to happen, he supposed he didn’t really have a choice, did he?

Rolling his eyes and grumbling under his breath, ignoring the way Saeko’s smile widened as she no doubt sensed her victory, Inuyasha sighed, pouted a bit, and gave in.

“Fine,” he grumbled, cutting her a narrow-eyed look that bespoke of his irritation, though it lacked any real heat. “I accept it. Now cut it out, you’re creeping me out. And you know how hard it is to creep out a hanyou? Damn women.”

Saeko blinked and wiped the smile off her face, nodding sagely. It didn’t last long however, and when Inuyasha scowled, she couldn’t hold back and started snickering. Goodness, but he was so easy to tease!

Recovering from her mirth in short order, Saeko nonetheless kept the smile on her face as she said sincerely, “Thank you, Inuyasha. Even if it wasn’t needed, I’m grateful all the same.”

He grunted but gave a curt nod.

“It’s late,” she announced with a sigh and an apologetic smile. “Though I wish I could give you more time with her, I should get Nanami to bed.”

Inuyasha echoed her sigh and for another moment simply stared down at the snoozing babe, enjoying the pleasant scent and the soft warmth of her in his lap, before giving a reluctant nod. He wanted to keep holding her, but knew Saeko was right. Carefully he lifted her up in his arms, gaze lingering on her peaceful face, and then transferred her over into her mother’s waiting arms.

Saeko smiled her thanks, adjusted the toddler so she was cradled against her chest with her head on her shoulder, and slowly got to her feet. Inuyasha remained sitting, slipping his hands into his opposite sleeves as he sat back against the tree.

“I do hope you’ll consider what I said and come visit your friends here again sometime,” Saeko said softly. “If it’s not too much trouble, anyway.”

Still a little surprised she had called him a friend, though secretly enjoying that fact, Inuyasha frowned slightly and gave a single nod. He supposed it couldn’t hurt to maybe stop by if he and the others just so happened to be traveling in this direction. He doubted Kagome would mind with how fast she took off for that damn bathhouse…

Saeko beamed and continued genuinely, “I’m glad I met you, Inuyasha. Have a good night.”

Inuyasha rumbled his own goodbye and watched as she descended the little knoll back to the path and headed toward her home, Nanami sleeping peacefully in her mother’s arms. He was surprised at how much he missed holding her, at how fast he’d gotten used to having her in his arms. He decided right then that he’d definitely have to make an effort to come back and see them again.

Heaving a sigh, Inuyasha let his head fall back against the tree and dropped his hands to drape loosely over his knees.

His face was blank as he stared out at the village in front of him before he said suddenly, “She came to apologize.”

“Are you surprised?”

Silence was his reply and after a moment she settled beside him, smelling like water and jasmine, and her scent erased any remaining tension in his body. He sighed and closed his eyes, deliberated for half a second, then abruptly reached out and tugged her closer, into his side. Maybe it was Saeko’s gentle influence, or the way Nanami’s sleeping face kept flashing before his mind’s eye, but whatever it was Inuyasha didn’t feel the need to keep his defenses up tonight – at least when it came to her – and allowed himself to be selfish, just for a little while.

Kagome settled against him with a happy sigh and let her head fall onto his shoulder.

“You know,” Inuyasha said after a while and Kagome tilted her head to see him staring up at the dark sky. “She reminds me of you.”

Kagome sent him a curious glance. “Who? The woman?”

“No,” he murmured, shaking his head. “The pup. Nanami.”

“Nanami.” She frowned. “That’s unusual.”

“She’s named in honor of her old man,” Inuyasha supplied. “He loved the sea and Saeko thought it was fitting.”

Kagome’s expression gentled into a smile. “That’s so sweet.”

“Keh.”

“It is,” she insisted and swatted his arm. Inuyasha chuckled and Kagome smiled. “How does she remind you of me?”

Inuyasha suddenly grinned. “She’s loud, annoying, and cries too much.”

Kagome gasped in outrage and jerked upright so she could punch him in the stomach, but Inuyasha caught her hand with a laugh and dragged her into his lap.

“You’re such a jerk,” Kagome huffed, though she was smiling as she said it, her face an endearing shade of scarlet.

“Yeah, I know,” he said pleasantly and wrapped his arms around her, dragging her back against his chest. Kagome wiggled around to get comfortable before relaxing against him as he knew she would.

Sighing, Inuyasha closed his eyes and tightened his arms around her as he rumbled into her hair, “Fearless.”

“What?”

“She’s fearless,” he repeated and dropped his chin to rest on her shoulder. “Just like you are, and I’m not talking about all those times we’ve faced Naraku without you even batting an eye. You’ve never been scared of _me_ , Kagome. Not once, not even when I was purposely trying to scare you when we first met, and you don’t know what that means to me.”

Blushing but infinitely pleased, it was impossible to stop the smile from spreading across her face as she ducked her head and shyly slipped a hand beneath one of his. Her heart was racing in her chest as his fingers threaded through hers, holding fast, and Kagome couldn’t remember a time when she had been so happy as she was right now.

“I have a pretty good idea,” she murmured and squeezed his hand.

Inuyasha smiled because yeah—she probably _did_ know what it meant to him. Because she was Kagome, and nobody had ever understood him quite like she did.

“But you know, Inuyasha,” Kagome continued softly and he turned his head slightly to glance at her face. She caught his gaze, smiled, and breathed, “Those times we went against Naraku or any other time we were in a dangerous situation, I was only fearless because _you_ were there. I don’t need to be scared when I have you with me.”

Swallowing thickly and staring into her eyes as warmth bloomed in his chest and spread outward, Inuyasha had no idea what to say so he just settled for murmuring her name before lifting a hand and slipping it into her hair, cupping the back of her head as he pressed his forehead against her own. Kagome’s hand cradled his jaw and his own name fell from her lips in a soundless whisper.

He closed his eyes, felt the warmth of her breath ghost over his lips as she gave a shaky sigh, and no words were exchanged. Together they sat there, reveling in one another and content, until the dawn’s first rays stretched over the horizon.

**-X-**

Sitting on the blanket, blowing raspberries and playing with some wooden toys her grandfather had fashioned for her, Nanami looked over at her mother and grinned happily. Dirt smudged her face and dried mud was in her hair, but none of that seemed to bother her as she waved around the toys covered in saliva and teeth marks.

From the garden a few feet away, Saeko paused in her task of pulling weeds and smiled back at her daughter. Nanami was in desperate need of a bath and some clean clothes, but it was almost time for breakfast anyway, so she figured a little more time outside couldn’t hurt while she finished the garden. It was a beautiful morning and Saeko wanted to take advantage of it before it got too hot.

Distracted by a butterfly, Nanami looked away from her mother to follow the creature and Saeko sighed softly as she sat back on her heels, pushing her bangs away from her eyes. She glanced down the main road in which her home sat close by to and wondered if Inuyasha and his friends had left yet. She hadn’t a clue on how the woman’s recovery was going, if she was okay to travel or needed more rest. She prayed for the former, because not only did she not relish the thought of anyone in pain, but because she knew Inuyasha was uneasy about staying in a village where he was not very welcome.

She was grateful the headman had been kind enough, at least, to realize their need for aid and put them up in an old hut no one used. He may be perhaps the only person aside from herself in the entire village that didn’t harbor any ill will toward him. True, perhaps she had at first, but she was glad to say she had atoned for her mistake and she had successfully smoothed out the misunderstanding on her part.

Saeko smiled. Actually, perhaps she was wrong in that assessment. She’d had a late-night discussion with her parents last night after she’d put Nanami to bed and she had explained all that had happened between the hanyou and herself. Her parents had been understandably bewildered at the thought of her befriending a demon, even half of one, but after some patient explaining, she was able to convince them to at least consider that just because Inuyasha was a hanyou did not mean he was bad. There are good demons, just as there are good people and bad demons as there are bad people. They were of course still a little skeptical and wary when they retired for the night, but they had promised to think on all she had said and Saeko was confident they would come through. They had raised her, after all. Surely their thinking couldn’t be much different from her own.

Her regime to change the negative outlook on demons was starting and she was feeling a little proud of herself, to say the least.

Sighing, Saeko glanced at the sky and determined it was about time to clean up for breakfast. She was getting hungry so no doubt Nanami was ready to eat, too.

Dusting off her hands, Saeko got to her feet and smiled over at her daughter. “Time for breakfast, Nan—Nanami?”

The blanket was empty save for her daughter’s wooden toys scattered about the cloth and Saeko tamped down on the instinctive panic that rose up. She was only one summer old—she couldn’t have gotten far, and everybody in the village always looked out for each other. She was confident if someone spotted her whoever it was would return her child back home.

Biting her lip, Saeko frowned and looked around, hoping to maybe spot her nearby. When she saw neither hide nor hair of her daughter, she peeked inside the hut to see if she’d scooted by without her realizing, but it was empty. Swallowing the fear Saeko darted around the hut, hoping Nanami was just chasing after that butterfly or something—

She heard Nanami’s delighted squeal seconds before she rounded the corner and she stopped short at the sight that greeted her as relief coursed through her body. Using familiar red hakama to pull herself to her feet, the toddler giggled merrily as clawed hands reached down and picked her up.

Putting a hand to her chest, Saeko smiled and released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as she took a step forward with a smile.

Cradling her against his chest with one arm while his free hand was held captive by a much smaller one, Inuyasha gave a small grin at the tot that was trying to chew on his finger. He was actually going to miss the little squirt.

“Looks like somebody’s been playing in the dirt,” he murmured, observing the smudges of dried mud on her face and in her hair. Some of it was getting on his suikan but he didn’t particularly care so he gave it no mind.

“Yes,” Saeko said with a small laugh and walked toward him. “I was just about to clean us up and start some breakfast.” She paused, and hedged, “You’re free to join us, if you’d like. Your friends can as well.”

She wasn’t surprised when he shook his head and she didn’t insist. She suspected she knew what he was here for anyway, and his next words confirmed it.

“I came to say bye before I left,” he said and glanced toward the road. Saeko followed his gaze and spotted his friends waiting for him. She smiled and gave a little wave; they waved back.

“And to say thanks,” he continued and she turned her gaze back to him to find his cheeks a little red and his eyes focused on her daughter. Nanami was playing with the beads around his neck again, the sound they made as she lifted them up and down making her giggle.

Saeko blinked and tried not to smile. “Whatever for?”

Inuyasha sent her a _look_ and she failed at stifling her snicker. Rolling his eyes, the hanyou sighed and gazed fondly down at the child in his arms. She had yet to release his finger and he was content to let her hold it for however long she wanted; her grip was firm and he doubted she’d let him go even if he wanted her to. It was a nice thought and that warm feeling came back.

“There’s a saying,” he said suddenly, addressing Saeko but keeping his eyes on her daughter, “that one of my friends told me about once. ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover unless you know what’s inside,’ or something like that. Basically it means—”

“Do not judge someone until you know them first,” Saeko finished with a gentle smile.

Inuyasha looked briefly surprised but then he nodded, relieved. “Yeah.”

Clearing his throat and appearing a little uncomfortable, he flushed and avoided her gaze, looking at Nanami as he grumbled, “So, uh, I just wanted to…say thanks. For giving me a second chance and…y’know, looking inside the book.”

He paused and then grimaced. “That sounded better in my head,” he muttered and was rewarded with Saeko’s laughter. He shot her a glare but it lacked any real irritation. Nanami laughed too and Inuyasha sent _her_ a long-suffering look.

Releasing an exaggerated sigh, Inuyasha waited for her laughter to die down to soft giggles and when she finally seemed recovered from her mirth, he pegged her with a deadpan look and said dryly, “Are you done?”

Saeko snorted indelicately and flapped a hand at him, grinning. “Sorry, sorry,” she said and moved to stand in front of him.

“Liar.”

She shrugged and didn’t deny it but her face softened and she gave him a genuine smile.

“You’re welcome, Inuyasha,” she said and laid a hand on his arm. “I’m being honest when I say I’m glad that I did. You truly are a good person, and that’s more than I can say for a lot of humans out there. Your friends are very lucky to have you.”

He snorted and mumbled under his breath, “More like I’m lucky to have them.” Louder he said, “I gotta go. I’ll, uh, I’ll try and come back to visit. I s’pose it wouldn’t be so bad seeing this runt again.”

Inuyasha affectionately ruffled Nanami’s hair with a clawed hand and she squealed in delight, reaching up and catching his hand with both of hers. He grinned and for a selfish moment he pulled her close, giving her a brief but tight hug.

“See ya, kid,” he murmured then went to hand her back to her mother.

To his surprise, however, Saeko stepped in close, wrapped her arms around him, and gave him a hug instead. Inuyasha stiffened and he sputtered as his face went red, eyes going wide. After several seconds of standing there stiffly and still she didn’t pull away, he cleared his throat and awkwardly patted her back a few times, looking away and praying the others didn’t see how red his face was.

Satisfied, Saeko pulled back with a grin and accepted her daughter when he handed her back to him. The toddler whined in protest and wrapped her tiny arms around Inuyasha’s neck. Saeko smiled sadly and waited for the hanyou to give her one last hug before stepping back. Nanami whimpered and buried her face in her mother’s neck, clearly upset.

Inuyasha grimaced, and when all Saeko did was smile and shrug helplessly, he sighed and quirked a half-grin.

“See ya around, Saeko,” he said and turned his gaze to the child in her arms. “Oi, squirt.”

Great brown eyes brimmed with unshed tears glanced his way. With another sigh, he stepped forward to ruffle her hair again.

“Stay outta trouble,” he told her and glad to have his attention again, Nanami beamed and giggled. He couldn’t help but grin back. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

Then with that, Inuyasha bent one last nod in Saeko’s direction then turned and headed toward his friends.

“Buh,” Nanami said and reached out a hand, opening and closing her hand in classic “bye-bye.”

“Take care of yourself, Inuyasha,” Saeko murmured, smiling as her newfound friend rejoined his friends. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“Mah.” A tiny hand landed on her cheek.

Smiling, Saeko tore her gaze away from the retreating group of travelers and kissed her daughter’s pudgy little hand.

“Alright, my little starfish,” she said and turned walk back around their home. “Let’s get you cleaned up and get some food in your little tummy. Gran and Pop are going to be here soon and we can all eat together.”

Nanami giggled and said, “’Ood!”

Laughing, Saeko disappeared inside her hut, content with all that had happened in such a short amount of time.

**-X-**

Walking behind Miroku and Sango, with the latter sitting upon a transformed Kirara despite her many protests that she could walk, a small hand slipped into his own. Without looking down, Inuyasha threaded their fingers together.

“Ladies man,” Kagome teased him under her breath, knowing he could hear her. “I think I’m jealous.”

Inuyasha flushed and scowled slightly. Of _course_ Kagome would have seen it.

“Wench,” he grumbled. “I’m no ‘ _ladies man._ ’ Keh.”

“I beg to differ.”

“I _beg_ you to shut up.”

Kagome snickered and leaned against his arm. “Seriously, though, I’m glad things worked out so well. Are you coming back to visit?”

Inuyasha shrugged. “Maybe. Depends if or when we travel this way again.”

“You mean you won’t make a special trip out just to see them?”

He rolled his eyes. “We have a job to do, Kagome. We can’t gallivant all over the countryside on a whim, you know.”

Kagome pouted a little. “But she’s so cuuuuuute,” she whined, thinking of the darling little girl that had been in her hanyou’s arms just moments ago. She resisted the urge to squeal as she brought the image to mind again. Inuyasha with a child in his arms was just too precious!

“Go hug the runt. You think _he’s_ cute,” he reminded her, unsympathetic.

Huffing, Kagome tugged her hand out of his and crossed arms, sticking her nose in the air.

“You’re mean,” she grumbled and moved to stomp ahead of him to join her _nicer_ friends.

A strong arm snagged her around the waist and dragged her back against a hard chest. Kagome’s faux irritation vanished and she ducked her head to hide her smile as she leaned back.

“Oi,” Inuyasha rumbled in her ear. “You can’t get away from me that easily, wench.”

“Oh, no,” she murmured, enjoying their impromptu little game. “Whatever shall I do?”

Inuyasha chuckled and started walking backward toward the forest that lined each side of the road. He glanced at their friends and was gratified to see they hadn’t noticed their sneaking away, Miroku and Sango wrapped up in each other while Shippou dozed on Kirara’s rump.

“Scared, wench?” he asked and dared to brush his lips against the slender column of her neck. Kagome gasped and shivered and he growled his approval.

Biting down on her lip, unresisting as Inuyasha continued to drag her farther back toward the cover of the trees, Kagome couldn’t stop the smile from stretching across her face. Laying her hands on his and tilting her head back, Kagome leaned up to boldly kiss his jaw and she felt his pleased rumble against her back.

“Oh, but…don’t you know?” she breathed as Inuyasha turned his head, breath ghosting over her lips.

“Know what?” he husked, the allure of her mouth too strong to ignore.

Kagome sighed, smiled, and lifted a hand to tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck as Inuyasha’s lips teasingly, feather soft, brushed against her own.

“I’m not scared,” she whispered and closed her eyes as his hand cradled her jaw. “Because when I’m with you, Inuyasha…I’m _fearless_.”


End file.
